Clan Line celebrates Southern steam finale

REBUILT ‘Merchant Navy’ No. 35028 Clan Line continued its comeback with two visits to its old haunts – 50 years after the end of Southern Region steam in July 1967.

The Bulleid Pacific powered a convincing re-creation of the legendary ‘Bournemouth Belle’ from Waterloo to Poole on July 5, hauling the Belmond ‘British Pullman’ set.

As it has done countless times since it was built in 1948, an immaculate No. 35028 Clan Line cruises west through Weybridge with the ‘Bournemouth Belle’ on July 5. JOAN GREEN

Four days later, on the anniversary of the final SR steam workings, No. 35028 was in charge of UK Railtours’ ‘Waterloo Sunset’ tour from the London terminus to Sherborne and Yeovil Junction.

The Merchant Navy Locomotive Preservation Society recently completed the loco’s fourth major overhaul in private ownership, with Clan Line having returned to its home at Stewarts Lane in Battersea, ready to continue hauling passenger trains at speed on the main lines of southern England.

Read more in the August issue of The RM – on sale now!

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